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Home/Training Drills/Rondo Drills/3v1 Rondo
RondoBeginner

3v1 Rondo

Keep possession 3v1 with clean one and two touch passing. Support on an angle, receive across the body, and pass firmly to the correct foot.

Create your own drill
Live animationRON
Duration
12 min
Total drill time
Players
4
Recommended
Pitch
10 × 9 yd
Setup space
Level
Beginner
Skill required
Intensity
Medium
Physical demand
Age band
U6-U8
Any format

Setup & instructions

Mark a small triangle about 8 to 10 yards a side. Three attackers take a corner each, one defender in the middle. Keep the ball with a maximum of two touches; count consecutive passes. When the defender wins it or it leaves the area, the attacker responsible goes in. Progress to one touch and then a smaller triangle.

Setup time: 1 min

Tactical breakdown

The 3v1 rondo is where every possession session in football should begin, and it is the one version young players can genuinely succeed at. Three against one is a big enough overload that the ball stays alive long enough for habits to form, which is exactly what a seven or eight year old needs and exactly what a 4v2 denies them.

The whole exercise turns on one thing: the angle. A player standing flat behind the defender has taken himself out of the game without moving, because there is no lane to him. A player who shifts two yards to the side has created one. Young players do not do this instinctively, and telling them to move is useless. Telling them to always be able to see the ball without looking through the defender works, because it gives them something they can check for themselves.

First touch is the second thing. Received across the body and slightly away from the defender, the next pass is already available. Received flat onto the front foot, the player has to take a second touch to get out of trouble, and against one defender in a tight triangle that second touch is usually where possession ends.

Pass weight is the third and the least coached. Too soft invites the interception. Too hard and a young player cannot control it. Firm and to the back foot is the standard to hold them to, and it is worth stopping the exercise for, because pace on the pass is what makes every rondo above this one possible.

How to run this drill

  1. Mark a small triangle. Three cones roughly eight yards apart, one attacker on each, one defender inside, one ball. Keep it tight. A big triangle makes it too easy and teaches nothing.
  2. Support on an angle, never flat. Coach players to stand where they can see the ball without looking through the defender. That single check gives a young player a rule they can apply themselves.
  3. First touch across the body. Receive with the back foot and take the touch across and away from the defender, so the next pass is already on without needing a second touch to escape.
  4. Pass firm and to the back foot. Firm enough that the defender cannot step in, accurate enough that the receiver can control it. Stop the exercise for a soft pass, it is worth the interruption.
  5. Adjust every time the defender moves. As the defender shifts, the two players off the ball shuffle to keep two options open. Standing still is the most common fault and the easiest one to fix.
  6. Swap the defender on every turnover. Whoever loses the ball goes in the middle. Keep rounds short so nobody spends long defending, and count consecutive passes to give the group a target.

Coaching focus

FROM SESSION PLAN

Coaching points

  • Show for the ball on an angle, never flat behind the defender
  • Soft first touch across the body, ready to pass either way
  • Pass firm and to the back foot so the next pass is quick
  • Adjust your position as the defender moves to keep two options open
  • Head up early: know your next pass before the ball arrives

Common mistakes

  • Standing flat behind the defender, offering no angle
  • A heavy first touch that kills the tempo
  • Passing to the wrong foot, slowing the next pass
  • Ball-watching instead of adjusting position

Progressions & regressions

VARIATIONS

Progressions

  • One touch only
  • Shrink the triangle to tighten the angles
  • Add a second defender for a 3v2 challenge

Regressions

  • Unlimited touches
  • Grow the triangle to open the passing lanes
  • Defender jockeys passively at first
Equipment
Cones×3
Tactical principles
3v1 rondorondo drillbeginner rondoyouth possession drilltriangle passingkeep ball drillfirst touch drillsupport anglesu8 possession drillpiggy in the middle
Audience
U6-U8

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All Rondo drillsAll drill collectionsRondo for U6-U8

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